Cantor exit sets off House leadership scramble

2 years ago

(Washington, DC) -- House Republicans will gather in a closed meeting late today to discuss their scrambled leadership situation. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost a re-election primary race in a stunning upset and will be out of Congress at year's end. He was upended in the Virginia race by Tea Party favorite Dave Brat, a political novice. Speculation is running rampant about who will replace Cantor as Majority Leader. Cantor was thought to have been a logical successor to GOP House Speaker John Boehner if Boehner steps down in the next couple of years.

Top prospects for Majority Leader include California's Kevin McCarthy, the House Majority Whip. That's the number three post in the House GOP caucus. Other prospects include Washington state's Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Texan Jeb Hensarling. Hensarling chairs the House Financial Services Committee. McMorris Rodgers chairs the Republican Conference, the fourth highest ranking post in the House. She is also the highest ranking Republican woman in the House.

Texas Republican Pete Sessions is also interested. Sessions chairs the House Rules Committee. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan was considered a possibility for Majority Leader but he put out a statement that he is not interested. Wisconsin's Ryan was the Republican vice presidential nominee in 2012.